close to missing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "close to missing" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It means almost or nearly missing something. Example: "I was close to missing my flight, but luckily I arrived at the airport just in time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

Travel

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

The TV version, however, came close to missing the mark.

The New York Times - Arts

I came so close to missing it all.

The Washington Post

Surely there must have been some test sessions or races he was close to missing?

The Guardian - Sport

He is now perilously close to missing out on a coveted fourth term.

The Economist

Even so, DeMerit came pretty close to missing the World Cup, Stevens said.

The New York Times - Sports

A flight attendant noted that he had come dangerously close to missing his dream flight.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

Mostar wasn't initially on my travel plans, but as I traveled down Croatia it seemed too close to miss.

Forbes

"It meant everything to her," said Robert White, a tenor who was close to Miss Tully.

The New York Times - Arts

The recent resignation of two PPP ministers once close to Miss Bhutto, Raza Rabbani and Sherry Rehman, hinted at this.

The Economist

Sources close to Miss Gillan said the Prime Minister had stressed that the precise route had yet to be fixed.

The Telegraph

But there is something about 14-year-old Peter Mangone's 1955 series that makes us feel closer to Miss Norma Jeane Mortenson than ever before.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "close to missing" to describe situations where an event or deadline was almost missed, but ultimately avoided. This phrase is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid replacing "to" with other prepositions like "from" or "of". The correct form is always "close to missing" to indicate nearness to the act of missing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "close to missing" functions as a prepositional phrase acting as an adverbial modifier. It modifies a verb or clause to indicate the degree to which an event or action nearly resulted in something being missed. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Sports

20%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Academia

10%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "close to missing" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression that indicates a narrow avoidance of missing something. As Ludwig AI confirms, its versatility makes it suitable for various contexts, particularly in news, sports reporting, and everyday conversations. While alternatives like "almost missed" or "nearly missed" exist, "close to missing" provides a distinct nuance that emphasizes the proximity to the potential miss. The key is to maintain the correct preposition "to" to avoid grammatical errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly missed

Replaces "close to" with "nearly", offering a slightly more concise alternative.

almost missed

Substitutes "close to" with "almost", indicating a near miss.

narrowly avoided missing

Emphasizes the act of avoiding the miss with a bit more formality.

just about missed

Highlights how narrowly the missing was avoided.

barely made it

Focuses on the successful outcome of narrowly avoiding missing something.

on the verge of missing

Highlights the imminence of missing something.

on the brink of missing

Indicates being very close to the point of missing something.

came within a hair's breadth of missing

Uses an idiomatic expression to highlight how close the miss was.

inches away from missing

Emphasizes the small margin by which something was not missed.

scarcely avoided missing

Stresses the difficulty in avoiding the miss.

FAQs

How can I use "close to missing" in a sentence?

You can use "close to missing" to describe situations where someone almost failed to achieve something, such as "I was "close to missing" my train this morning, but I managed to catch it just in time."

What are some alternatives to saying "close to missing"?

Alternatives include "almost missed", "nearly missed", or "barely made it", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "close to miss" instead of "close to missing"?

While "close to miss" might be understood, ""close to missing"" is the more grammatically standard and widely accepted form when describing a near miss.

What's the difference between "close to missing" and "almost missing"?

The phrases ""close to missing"" and "almost missing" are very similar in meaning and are often interchangeable. However, "close to missing" might slightly emphasize the proximity to the act of missing.